History
The Frances Canadian Bass Championship celebrated its fifteenth year of competition in July 2009.
The dream of a catch and release smallmouth bass tournament on Rainy Lake first surfaced after the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail held its first annual Championship on Rainy Lake in the fall of 1990. Many of the anglers that fished that walleye tournament were amazed with the quality of the smallmouth bass fishery on Rainy Lake.
In April 1994 a meeting hosted by Lionel Robert, of Weighmaster Tournament Systems was held in the Fort Frances Town Hall Committee Room. The feasibility of hosting a smallmouth tournament was discussed with attendees that included the Rendezvous Trail, The Kenora Bass International, the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Frances Downtown Business Improvement Area, the Fort Frances Economic Development Office, the Ministry of Natural Resources, area business owners, tourist camp operators and interested anglers.
Their discussion at that meeting lead to the Rendezvous Trail working with Lionel Robert during the summer of 1994 to lay the foundation of the first tournament scheduled for the last week of July 1995.
In August 1994 the Town of Fort Frances and the Rendezvous Trail sponsored a representative to attend, observe and report on the Kenora Bass International, which at that time was in its seventh year. The KBI tournament directors were very helpful and shared much useful information.
Planning proceeded for the inaugural tournament during the fall and winter of 1994/95 with the Rendezvous Trail using the tournament as an opportunity to promote Fort Frances and Rainy Lake as a tourist destination.
The spring of 1995 a community involvement meeting was held. That meeting resulted in many local businesses coming forward to sponsor the inaugural Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.
Read more about this topic: Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship
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